Dispatches from the front XXII - Projects old and new.

A rather eclectic mix of games and projects.

First up club night and over at the Wyvern's a 4 player Stargrave outing, using anything we can get our hands on, just simply turn up and play.

One of the chaps dug out the Core Space playing board, despite it only being 2x2 it did make a fun encounter with lots of laser blasts and Aliens popping out of the walls and floors. Warlords Algoryn took the bragging rights on the night.

Meanwhile the Visitors from the 4th planet from the Sirian Star make hard work of picking off the local inhabitants.

After months of nagging I finally relented and let my young nephew play with the grown up toys. King Arthur has to travel the table visiting various way points picking up recruits and defeating any nasty's along the way. We picked Songs of Blades and Heroes as a great introduction to proper gaming. 

My young padawan  picked up the rules really quickly, even if  he did play fast and loose with the measuring stick :-) After slaying numerous enemies.... Arthur was victorious.

I fear I have created a monster.

A fun encounter besides it gave me the excuse to finish off a couple of odds and ends such as the Warbases Gibbet and the mighty Excalibur stuck firmly in a stone. 

Having given the Sudan a well overdue outing I saw a post of on Tales From GHQ: The Battle of Tettenhall Green with an excellent game of The Very British Civil War. It's been a long while since Worcester was a flame... so maybe time for another outing.

With the King residing in the County at Madresfield Court, Worcester has stuck to it's long held motto of "Civitas in bello et pace fidelis" - The City Faithful in War & Peace. The City maintains a moderate pro government stance with reluctant support from the regular royalist forces and local Worcester City police.

Whilst largely peaceful as the crisis in the country unfolds a number of opposition groups have sprung up, notably armed elements from the Severn Riverside, Wharf, Labours Federation (SRWLF) with an enclave in the Diglis area. This group is supported by communists out of Birmingham and armaments being shipped over the Malvern's from the Anglican's based in Hereford. 

Just need to find where I packed the figures away now.

That's an old project now for a new one - Coming soon in May.

For years I fancied turning the excellent Standard Games - Outremer/Cry Havoc game to miniatures, with the new Baron's War range it might just make it to the table.

Until next time.....

Go Sharp into the Desert - Lard Magazine 2021- Part 3 Rescue or Destruction

Dartington Crystal having barely escaped the earlier encounter he reached headquarters and described a vicious fight where he had taken down scores of savages but was let down by his men in the defence of the priests.

With the McCreadys captured the British have learnt from local sources that they are being held in an abandoned pumping station along the Nile before being taken across the desert to be presented to the Mahdi. 

Dartington Crystal’s  has been reinforced and his troops refitted with orders to to assault the Mahdist position and destroy them once and for all.

The South Borchester's march out of the town and head for the centre ground, which is held by a scattering of riflemen, it's seems the Mahdists have got their hands on a fresh batch of rifles... The Dervish sniped away at the regulars and whilst a couple of HE rounds had seen off those in the centre the wadi was crawling with skirmishers.

Dartington's frustrations grew, lining out the Borchester's and manhandling the Gardner Gun up on to the rise he would teach the natives a lesson.

So far so good......

Pride comes before a fall.... Dartington looked on in horror... Rising out of the scrub.... masses of spearmen charged catching his regulars in the flank

Dartington's company was broken and ran, Dartington ran with them. Sergeant Grundy in the centre ordered his men to fire on the flank of the spearmen slowing their advance and thinning their numbers.

With the British in real trouble, Arab cavalry charged forward to press the advantage.

The lancers rushed to plug the gap and sent the camelry backwards, but they ruined themselves in the process and fell back behind the naval brigade holding the sector.

The Lieutenant commanding the Naval Brigade looked across the desert. Out of the heat haze a whole fresh cohort of Mahdist Warriors, the British knew they did not have the numbers and with Dartington nowhere to be seen and with other forces flanking the defenders. It was time for the Crown forces to leave the field to the Mahdi.

2-1 to the locals... 

A great set of games and nice to get the colonials on the table, the tactics over the three games changed on both sides, the British firepower can knock chunks out of the natives if they can spot them, but let the damned savages get too close and the supporting ranks and the fervour will give any regulars a bloody nose.

Roll on the next set of linked games.

US Artillery - Pony Wars.

The last of the bare metal for the Pony Wars Project

A couple of items to even up the forces, these were from the Baccus ACV Range and with 4 pieces and limbers to a pack enough for most encounters.

With Hammerhead now only a few weeks away, a final push to get the buildings finished, but it's quite a pleasant feeling knowing that there is no spare metal knocking around.

Next up...... Constructions old and new......

Go Sharp into the Desert - Lard Magazine 2021- Part 2 Disaster in the Desert

How quickly the fortunes of war can change.

The next part of the Sudan campaign see's Sir Dartington Crystal crossing the Desert to reach the waiting steamer and safe passage for Mcready. But Dinna Munni is out for revenge.

Starting at the top of the table it was a long hot march, much of the British force was intact from the previous encounter, but the Dervish commander was now wary of the British fire power and had a few ideas of his own. 

Enemy scouts rushed for the river and the lightly defended steamer but are quickly sent packing by the naval brigade with a volley or two.

Meanwhile Dartington's column makes steady progress along the table, with flank companies deployed awaiting the approach of any enemy troops, apart from the occasional gaggle of enemy riflemen all was going to plan.

The trap is sprung and masses of enemy troops rush forward from the left flank, the Imperial troops peel off and make ready for the rush of enemy spearmen.

Thousands of them and might angry. (the fervour dice work really well to protect them from the high levels of shock and keep them moving).

Dartington orders his men into an arrow head as the Dervish start to expand and advance towards the firing line.

Meanwhile on the right flank yet more riflemen make their presence felt, they had learnt from the previous encounter and instead of standing atop of the gulley would pop up fire off a shot and drop to ground, very annoying.

Despite pouring several volley's into the on rushing natives the British were unable to stop them closing and in a bloody affair the British slowly gave ground.

Dartington sensing the battle was not going his way, urged on the camels and made a break for it taking the priest with him, the Brits fell to a mass of spears and swords as the bloodied companies fell back.

The fleeing British now masked their own rear ranks, whilst others threw down helmets and kit and rushed head long for the steamer.

Dartington was panicked as fresh group of warriors burst through the battered British line and headed straight for the priests. 

Fortunately Dartington's own native troops were able to block the attackers, but poorly trained militia were no match for the experienced warriors who broke them in short order.

With enemy spearmen charging forwards, Dartington urged his camel on, leaving the McCready to his fate. Not the done thing but who would know his command was broken and the dust of battle masked his cowardly actions.

A fantastic game, the Dervish on mass are mighty difficult to stop unless you can pour enough fire into them and chop down some of the supporting groups. Dartington will have some explaining to do back at headquarters and the campaign is perfectly set up for the final outing as the British head back into the desert to recapture the troublesome priest.

Yet more Sioux - Baccus Pony Wars.

I do hate painting horses... Another 100 Sioux clear the paint table.

These were a real a grind, but two colours a night and over 2 weeks they are finished and game table ready.

Great castings from Baccus, on closer inspection this bag of Sioux have less War Bonnets and has more native warriors. when blended with the first purchase now gives me a good mix with the existing painted horsemen. 

Looking over the requirements of the original Pony Wars rules, I am still another 300 warriors short, but for the Sharp Practice variant I am hoping another 10 groups will be enough, this latest batch also have an additional 5 big men to help shepherd the war parties.

The entire warband rides out to war....

A Coy 3rd Cavalry may have bitten off more than they can chew.

That's the Indian's complete.

A couple of odds and ends to complete but finally nearing the end of this project.